Setting plants.



PATENTED APR. 21, 1908. J. SINCLAIR. SETTING PLANTS.

APPLICATION YILED JULY12.1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

gwue MO I 0657 L.SZ 7/CM av, 'L'Mmmdt' No. 885,091. PATENTED APR. 21, 1908.

' J. L. SINCLAIR.

SETTING PLANTS.

APPLICATION IILED JULY 13, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wvenloz Jo'll 70L Sinclair scription and plan view of the machine.

machine which is positive in its operation JOHN L. SINGLA IR, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

SETTING PLANTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 21, 1908.

Application filed July 12, 1907. Serial No. 383,502.

Toall whom it may concern: 1 Be it known that I, JOHN L. SINCLAIR, of San Antonio, inthc State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Setting Plants; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings, which orrn part of this specification.

The present invention is in the nature of an im roved. machine for setting plants and embo ies novel means for handling the young plants whereby the same are dropped at the required intervals andset in 8. erfectly straight row whicl'. admits of so )sequent close and quick cultivation.

The primary objectof the invention is-io design a simple and efficient plant setting and handles the plants in such a manner as to insuri their ra id and uniform growth.

With this ol iject in view the. lant setting mechanism embodies essentia ly a coiled flexible hand designed to retain the. plants between its convolutions, and means for unwindin the band to drop the plants successivei y into the furrow.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following deaccompanying drawings, in which- I Figure 1 is a side elevation of a plant setting machine embodying the invention, portions being broken away. Fig. 2 is a top Fig. 3 is a rear end view of the machine, parts being removed. 4 is a vertical sectional view through-the upper ortion of the hopper. Fig. 5 is a horizontal scctional view through the hopper; Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view ofthe coiled flexible band, showing the mannor of retaining the plants thereby.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated on all the views of the drawings by the same referent": characters.

The plant setting mechanism itself is mounter upon a main frame which may be of.any desired construction and is shown in the present instance as comprising the s raced longitudinalside-bars 1 connected by t e end cross-bars 2 and the intermediate lower cross-bar 3'. cleyis 4 may be applied to the forward end of h... machine while the rear portion of the frame is provided with suitable handles Journaled between the side bars at the front of thc main frame is a drivewheel 6 having a sprocket-wheel 7 keyed upon or otherwise made rigid with its shaft. Standards 8 project upwardly from the side-bars 1 u -on each side of the drivewheel 6, and a rum or reel 9 is journaled between the upper portions (ff the said standards.

A second sprocket wheel 10 is rigid with thereel 9 and a belt or chain 11 connects the said sprocket-wheel H) with the before Inensprockccwhcel 7 rigid with the dr1ve-' tiOHOt wheel. It. will thus be clearly apparent that when the machine is in operation motion is transmitted to the'reel 9 from the drive wheel 6 through the medium of the sprocket- I wheels and the chain 11.

A hopper supporting frame projects 1'1 wardly from the rear portion of the main frame and comprises the brackets 12 carrying a plate 13 at their upper extremities. The hopper 14 gradually tapers toward the end which is shown as projecting downwardlybetween the intermediate crossbar 3 and the rear cross-bar 2 of the main frame, the upper and llarcd end of the said hopper having one edge thereof hinged or ivot-ally connected as indicated at 15 to the iopper supporting frame. around an intermediate per and is with the within vertical slots 18 in side-plates 19. it will be observed that the lower edges of the said side-plates 19 are extended laterally and adjustably connected to the sidebars 1 by a pin and slot connection 20. This construction admits of the hopper 14 being swung upon its hinged connection 15 and clamped at any desired inclination according to the nature of the soil or the plants being operated upon.

.The plate 13 is provided at approximately its central portion with an upwardly reject portion of the hoprovided upon its opposite sides 'ing stub-shaft 21, and is also formct with a A band 23'of canvas or the machine the free end of the band 16 is ateral projections 17 received.

A band 16 fits' '2 same:-

attached to the reel and is wound upon the same as the machine passes over the field. The feed-opening 33 in the plate 13 is located over the mouth of the hopper H and directly under the point at which the plant retaining coil is unwound, whereby as the plants are {(liliatll successively due to the unwinding of the coil, they are d livered into the hopper.

In order to prevent the interior of the coil from becoming loose and prematurely releasing the plants a spring-arm 25 is utilized which presses against he coil at the point where it unwinds.

The furrow opener is located just in front of the discharge end of the hopper and coinprises a plow-standard 26 projecting downwardly from the main rame and having a shovel 27 secured thereto. After the plants have been deposited in the furrow, earth is compacted around the stalks by the covering-rollers 28 operating upon both sides of the plants and journaled upon brackets :29 extending downwardly from the main frame.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that as the machine travels across the lield the flexible band 16 will be wound upon the reel 9 and the. young plants successively dropped into the furrow through the hopper 14 the plant retaining coil is unwound. the furrow being opened by the machine just before the plants are deposited therein and closed immediately after.

Havin thus described the invention, what is claimc as new is:

1. A plant setting machine comprising a plant retaining band, a hopper, and means whereby the plants are de )osited in the hopper as the band is moved tliereover.

2. A plant setting machine comprisin a coiled band designed to retain plants )6- tween its convolutions', and means for unwinding the coil to drop the plants.

3. A plant setting machine comprisinga coiled band'designed to retain plants between its convolutions, means for preventing the interior of the coil from becoming loose, and means for unwinding the coil to drop the plants.

4. A plant setting machine com rising a coiled hand designed to retain plimts hetwcen its convolntions, means for unwinding the coil to drop the plants, and a spring-arm bearing against the coil to prevent the interior thereof from becoming muse. 5. A plant setting machine comprising a plate having a feed opening therein, a ilant retaining hand, means for moving the liand over the plate, and means whereby the plants are dropped through the feed opening as the hand is moved over the plate.

ti. A plant setting machine comprising a plate having a feed opening therein. a coiled iand mounted upon the plate and designed; to retain plants hctwecn its convolutious,l

and means for unwinding the coil, the plants being dropped through the feed opening as the coil is unwound.

7. A plant setting machine comprising a plate having a feed opening therein, a col ed hand mounted upon the plate and designed to retain plants between its convolutions, means for unwinding the coil to drop the plants through the feed opening, and a spring-arm engaging the coil to prevent the interior of the same from becoming loose.

b. A plant setting machine com )risin a coiled band designed to retain pants etween its conrolntions, the plants being dropped successively as the coil is unwound, :1 rec engaging the free end of the coil, and means for turning the reel to unwind the coil.

9. A plant setting machine com rising a frame, a coiled band carried by t e frame and designed to retain plants between its convolntions, a reel carried by the frame and. engaging the free end of the said band, a drive-wheel mounted upon the frame, and means for transmitting motion from the drive-wheel to the reel to unwind the plant retaining coil and release the plants.

It). A plant setting machine comprising a frame, a. hopper carried by the frame, a coiled hand located over the hopper and designed to retain plants between its convolutions, and means for autonnitically unwinding the coil as the frame is advanced over the field, the plants being dropped successively into the hopper as the coil is unwound.

, 11. A ilant setting machine comprising a frame, a hopper carried by the frame, a plate mounted over the hopper and provided with a feed opening, a coiled band mounted upon the plate and designed to retain plants between its convolutions, the plants being dropped through the feed opening into the hopper as the coil is unwound, and means for automatically unwinding the coil as the frame is advanced over the field.

12. A ilant setting machine comprising a frame, a hopper carried by the frame, a plate located over the ho )per and provided with a feed opening, a coiled hand mounted upon the plate and designed to retain plants between its convolutions, the plants bein" dropped into the hopper through the feed opening as the coil is unwound, a reel engaging an end of the band and carried by the frame, and means for automatically turning the reel tolmwind the coil as the machine is advanced over the field.

13. A ilant setting nm'chine comprising a frame, alopper carried by the frame, means for delivering plants into the hopper and means for setting the hopper at. any desired inclination.

H. A plant setting machine comprising a main frame. a hopper supporting frame carried by the main frame, a ho er hinged to the hopper supporting frame, means for clamping the hopipel at the desired inclinatlon, am means or feeding plants into the hopper.

15. A plant setting mavhine comprising a 5 frame, a hopper mrrieil by the frame, a

coiled band mounted over the hopper and kl?- signed to retain plants between its convolu- Lions, menus for automaticalty unwinding the veil to imp the plants into the ho per as 1 10 the nunhine is advanced over the iiehl a fur- 1 row opener mounted upon the frame in adl Vance of the hopper, and covering rollers car- 5 riml by the frame in rear of the hopper.

1n testimony that[ claim the foregoing as my o\\ n, l allix my signature in presence of 15 two witnesses.

JOHN L. SINCLAIR. Witnesses:

J. M. TAYLOR, W. Losomo. 

